Audio transducer with forced ventilation of motor and method

Abstract

A forced ventilation woofer or electromechanical transducer (e.g., 200 or 300) includes a motor structure and voice coil winding support structure or former (203 or 303) configured with a vented annular spacer (e.g., 250) and vented distal pole tip member (e.g., 255) having aligned radial channels aimed to transport heat away from a voice coil (202 or 302) during the transducer's reciprocating movement while providing an extended, linear dynamic range and continuous cooling for the voice coil. A dual magnetic gap embodiment has an inside annular spacer member (e.g., 355A) and a co-planar outside annular spacer member (e.g., 350-O), each made of a thermally conductive steel alloy.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An audio speaker, comprising:
 a frame; 
 a diaphragm operatively coupled to the frame; 
 a voice coil bobbin operatively coupled to the diaphragm, the voice coil bobbin having an interior lumen; 
 a magnetic circuit comprising a magnet, a front plate, a pole piece having a vented distal pole tip defining a plurality of first lumens, and a pole yoke positioned on an opposite side of the magnet relative to the front plate, the pole piece and the front plate being separate from one another by a gap region; 
 a voice coil positioned about and carried by the voice coil bobbin and extending within the gap region between the pole piece and the front plate, the voice coil being configured to convert an electric current into an electro-motive force for imparting vibrational movement to the voice coil bobbin and the diaphragm; and 
 a spacer positioned adjacent to the front plate, the spacer defining a plurality of second lumens aligned with the plurality of first lumens, the second lumens providing airflow paths from an ambient environment outside the audio speaker and configured to impinge air directly on the voice coil. 
 
     
     
       2. The audio speaker of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer is interposed between the magnet and the front plate, and wherein the spacer is magnetically conductive. 
     
     
       3. The audio speaker of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer and the magnet are positioned on opposite sides of the front plate. 
     
     
       4. The audio speaker of  claim 1 , wherein the pluralities of first and second lumens are equal in quantity to one another. 
     
     
       5. The audio speaker of  claim 1 , wherein the second lumens are radially arranged, and wherein the first lumens include radially extending portions that are aligned with the second lumens. 
     
     
       6. The audio speaker of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer comprises an annular inner spacer member and an annular outer spacer member positioned radially outside of the annular inner spacer member. 
     
     
       7. The audio speaker of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second lumens comprise first and second channels, respectively. 
     
     
       8. An audio speaker, comprising:
 a frame; 
 a diaphragm operatively coupled to the frame; 
 a voice coil bobbin operatively coupled to the diaphragm, the voice coil bobbin having an interior lumen; 
 a magnetic circuit comprising a magnet, a first inner magnetic disk, a first outer magnetic disk positioned radially outside of the first inner magnetic disk, a pole piece, and a pole yoke positioned on an opposite side of the magnet relative to the first outer magnetic disk, the first inner magnetic disk and the first outer magnetic disk being separate from one another by a first gap region; 
 a voice coil positioned about and carried by the voice coil bobbin and extending within the first gap region between the first inner magnetic disk and the first outer magnetic disk, the voice coil being configured to convert an electric current into an electro-motive force for imparting vibrational movement to the voice coil bobbin and the diaphragm; and 
 a spacer comprising an inner spacer member adjacent to the first inner magnetic disk and an outer spacer member adjacent to the first outer magnetic disk, the inner spacer member defining a plurality of first lumens and the outer spacer member defining a plurality of second lumens. 
 
     
     
       9. The audio speaker of  claim 8 , wherein the second lumens provide airflow paths from an ambient environment outside the audio speaker and are configured to impinge air directly on the voice coil. 
     
     
       10. The audio speaker of  claim 8 , further comprising a second inner magnetic disk and a second outer magnetic disk positioned radially outside of the second inner magnetic disk, the first and second inner magnetic disks being positioned on opposite sides of the inner spacer member, the first and second outer magnetic disks being positioned on opposite sides of the outer spacer member, the second inner magnetic disk and the second outer magnetic disk being separate from one another by a second gap region through which the voice coil extends. 
     
     
       11. The audio speaker of  claim 10 , wherein the second lumens provide airflow paths from the ambient environment outside the audio speaker and are configured to impinge air directly on areas of the voice coil extending through the first and second gap regions.